V-Moda M-100

Right off the bat, I can tell the M-100’s are a hip-hop headphone with some serious style. However, with a frequency response range of 5Hz – 30kHz they can deliver some serious treble as well as deep bass. One strange fact, however, is that they list a ‘unit variance’ of up to 2dB, on the packaging; which might mean that not every pair of M-100’s will have the same sensitivity.

Sound

The first thing you’ll notice when you listen to these is the bass response, which is deep and very present overall. Depending on the track, you’ll experience some very detailed and present highs, which is probably the most impressive part of the sound. The only thing I found uncomfortable was the excess boost in the lower mid-range that adds too much low-end to more somber tracks, such as acoustic or classical songs. This fact could be overlooked, considering these are geared more towards bass heavy songs, and when listening to things like electronic, dub-step, or hip-hop, they perform very well.

Comfort/Fit

The fit is snug, which helps provide decent sound isolation. The headband conforms nicely to the top of your head while still being flexible. Conversely, after wearing them for a long time you eventually start to feel the pressure of the ear cups against your head. It’s not necessarily uncomfortable, but this is partially due to the fact that they’re relatively light at about a half-pound. This could have been avoided if a more plush material had been used to pad the ear cups.

Versatility

For a pair of fully over-ear headphones, they fold up into a decently small package which makes them ideal for travel use. They also come with 2 fabric-braided cables, one ‘SharePlay’ cable with a second output and one talk cable for use with a cell phone. Something that caught my attention about the talk cable was that the microphone sits higher on the cable closer to your mouth, as opposed to being on the control button itself. Also, they can be customized with different back plates and even a boom mic (not included).

Value

These are in direct competition with other hip-hop headphones of today. Which means the $300 price tag isn’t too far off from others on the market. However, the impressive build quality, detailed sound, and the travel-friendly design could sway some listeners away from some celebrity-endorsed models.

Conclusion

For a bass-heavy headphone, these have some of the most detailed mids and highs I’ve heard. That being said, these are still primarily a hip-hop headphone and they don’t perform particularly well outside of similar music styles. But some things that make these stick out above the rest are the customization options, durability, and travel design.